Magically Delicious
by mcgt
Summary: St. Patrick's Day O/S - After breaking up with his girlfriend, the last thing Edward expects to find at his brother's St. Patrick's Day party is someone new.  What happens when you meet the right person at supposedly the wrong time?


_**A/N**_

_Here's just a little o/s that's a gift to my girl EnigmaLynne who sent me the original picture to shake the plot bunnies loose._

_Thanks to Graffiti4, who did an amazing job correcting my overuse of the points of ellipsis and all my other craptastic grammar and punctuation._

_I finally caved and have a twitter account if you want to follow my ramblings - mcgt2008_

_I don't own Twilight or anything associated with the franchise. I just like playing with her characters a bit._

_Go out, get yourself a shamrock shake (or Guinness if that's your poison) & enjoy!_

_**Happy St. Patrick's Day!**_

* * *

_**Magically Delicious**_

I was pissed. No, pissed was too casual of a word. I was livid. I couldn't believe she had the audacity to show up at my brother's annual St. Patrick's Day party, let alone that she was letting some douchbag grind all up on her ass. The very same sweet, sweet ass, that was mine up until a week ago when we broke up.

Emmett bounded out of his brownstone home and plopped himself next to me on the bench, while I finished off the Heineken I had just opened. "Dude, why are you sitting out here by yourself? The party's raging inside."

"Maybe I don't really feel like partying. Or wait, maybe I just don't like watching my ex get her groove back. Who, the fuck invited her, anyhow?" I seethed, slamming the bottle onto the picnic table before turning to face my brother. "What the fuck is on your head?" The huge green top hat was attached to a bright red wig and beard, making him look like a gigantic leprechaun. He looked absolutely ridiculous, yet it fit his oversized personality to a T. Emmett loved this holiday, saying he was fulfilling some imaginary requirement for our Irish heritage. For the life of me, I don't know why his long-time girlfriend puts up with his shenanigans.

"Like it? Rose didn't really approve, but this is my day, so she let it go. Come ooooon, get your head out of your ass, Edward!" he whined. "Who cares if she's here? Lighten up. You dumped her, remember?" He tugged on my shoulder trying to get me to follow him back inside. Shaking my head, I delayed the inevitable by reaching into my pocket and grabbing a cigarette. Flicking the lighter, I inhaled deeply into my lungs, allowing the carcinogen filled smoke to calm my frayed nerves.

"Bro, that shit'll kill you. Come back in when you're ready. In the meantime, there's a cooler by the door with beer. Help yourself. Try not to brood all night though, it is a party."

Walking up the steps he turned one last time before going back inside. "She's not worth it, you know? I think she's trying to make you jealous so you'll run back to her. Don't fall for her shit, Ed. Just sayin'." In a flash of green and orange, he spun on his heel and re-entered the house, which was filling rapidly with bodies and the booming base of his very expensive sound system.

My ire was waning slightly, as I felt my warm beer buzz flow through my system. I just couldn't believe I had wasted over a year of my life with that wench of a woman, who seemed so unaffected by our demise that she was shaking her ass all over Emmett's makeshift dance floor.

I knew it wasn't love, hell it was mostly lust that kept us in a sex induced haze for months, and yet I stayed for way longer than I should have. Her complete disregard for my feelings was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. I just wished I'd seen her betrayal before she actually accomplished it. Now I was left with a gaping wound where one shouldn't have even existed. I didn't even really like her, yet I was still left with the acute sting of humiliation.

The wind had picked up, causing me to shiver slightly against the cold, while the exhaled smoke swirling around my head made my eyes water from the assault.

When my tears subsided a waif of a girl stood before me, wearing a green shirt with 'magically delicious' written over her perky tits.

"Nice shirt," I drawled, taking another drag from my cigarette, trying to not let her presence effect me, even though it already had.

"Thanks. Not feeling Irish today? What's with the black? You mourning somethin'?" she asked, flopping down on the bench beside me, slightly spilling whatever was in her cup onto the ground.

"Something like that." Her long, auburn hair cascaded down her back in waves, as I looked more closely to see that she had large brown eyes with a few freckles darted across her nose haphazardly.

"Can I bum a smoke? My jacket's inside but someone was making out in front of the closet, and I didn't feel like interrupting." She looked edgy. Well, pretty drunk and edgy to be exact, as I watched her take a long swallow from her plastic cup. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled the pack up and offered one to her, "Camel Lights alright?"

"Yeah, great. Thanks." I flicked the lighter, just as she leaned in to the flame, igniting her cigarette and showing me the slight swell of her breasts under her shirt at the same time. The lace from the black bra she was wearing cupped her tits like a lover's hand and it was making me more hot and bothered than I had been in months. Sad to say when a complete stranger's cloth covered boob inspired more of a boner than the naked one I'd been sleeping with for months. Shit, I might be in some serious trouble if I wasn't careful. The last thing I needed was another woman causing trouble in my life. I'd had enough of that to last a lifetime.

"So, you going to tell me what you're sulking about or should I guess?" Her eyebrows raised slightly in a challenge, while my mouth just gaped at her forwardness.

"Umm… just needed some air," I lied, not quite smoothly, I might add.

"Riiiight… whatever you say, cowboy." She turned away and examined my brother's miniscule yard, essentially bitch slapping me for not being forthcoming.

Sighing heavily, I decided to tell her the truth, even though I didn't really know why I should. "My bitch of an ex is in there showcasing her stripper moves, and I just don't much feel like watching that shit."

"Ah, girlfriend trouble. Wanna talk about it?" She spun back towards me and straddled the bench seat, scooting so close that I could see her dilated pupils even in the fading light of dusk.

"Not especially… what are you doing out here? Hiding from someone, too?" I extinguished my cigarette under my boot clad foot and impatiently waited for her response.

"Nope," she replied confidently, popping her P smugly.

"So what gives? You just feel like annoying me to make the most of your otherwise joyless evening?" Two could play at this holier than thou game.

"How about I felt like a smoke? You were here smoking… nothing more sinister than that, I assure you." She grinned at me, while snubbing out her cigarette and throwing it in the trash by the door.

"Come on, sulky, it's a party. How 'bout you act like it?" Tugging on my hand she dragged me inside, weaving our way through the throngs of people and moving in sync to some pop dance tune, playing over the speakers. Turning my head slightly to the left, I saw her. She looked like a slut in heat, trying to get the entire party to notice she's here with barely any clothes on. I can't believe I didn't see this side of her sooner. My pause in step was noticed by the woman dragging me along, causing her to gaze in the same direction.

"Ah, the ex? Classy!" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. I could only nod solemnly and keep moving towards our original destination.

Once we made it into the kitchen, I saw my brother engaged in a game of beer pong while another group of people were playing quarters on his bar. Emmett noticed our entrance just as he bounced his ball into his opponent's cup. Letting out a riotous whoop, he left the table to come and talk to us.

"Glad you decided to join the party. And who is this fine lass?" he asked in a terrible Irish brogue.

Shit, I didn't have a clue who this fine 'lass' was. "Um…Emmett this is…"

"Bella, a friend of Rose's. Nice to finally meet you, Emmett," she jumped in and started chatting up my brother as if I wasn't in the room. I stood off to the side and just watched her interact so naturally with people around us. It was effortless, and I was completely drawn into her atmosphere, like a planet orbiting the sun. I couldn't pull away if I tried.

"So what do you say, Edward?" Her question surprised me since I'd been studying her beauty instead of paying attention to the conversation around me.

"Uh, to what?"

"Beer pong, silly. You want to take on Emmett and Jasper? I think we can win. I was, like, beer pong champion at my college. Come on. Maybe getting you a little drunk will lighten you up a bit."

I'd never actually played beer pong, not having been a frat boy in college. I wasn't even sure of the rules other than trying to get a ball into the other team's cups. It sounded simple enough in my buzzed mind, so I nodded in agreement and walk over to join her at the table.

"Jeez, all it takes is one hot chick to get you to finally play me in beer pong." Emmett was grinning wildly at me in his dumb ass leprechaun hat, knowing that I'd broken a promise that I would never, ever play this stupid ass game with him. Well, chalk one up to the hot lassie by my side, as I would be eating crow for dinner tonight.

We began playing a quick round of dirty balls flying into cups half filled with the green beer my brother just had to have for this ridiculous holiday. Thankfully, I wasn't too drunk yet, so my aim was still pretty good. Emmett and Jasper had been playing rounds of this game for who knew how long, making them much less steady on their feet. Bella was actually quite good at this and by the end of our game we arose as champions, having only had to drink half of our cups, which were laid out on the table.

"Loooosers leeeave," Bella's singsong voice called over to our failed opponents. Emmett and Jasper wobbled off towards the rest of the party as a new couple of clowns dressed in green and Guinness logoed attire stepped up to take us on.

"You doing okay, sulky? I don't want to have to drink all these cups again. You need to hold your own or I'm going to find a new partner," she mocked, bumping my hip with hers in jest.

"What the fuck are you talking about? I drank my half. Just try and keep up," I scoffed, starting the next round against the two strangers across from us. We played for what felt like hours, repeatedly beating each new set of players that stepped up to the table in challenge. Bella wasn't kidding when she said she was champion at her college. We were both pretty well hammered when we finally conceded defeat against a relatively sober couple, who had only just arrived at the party. Taking our leave, Bella and I were attached at the hip, each trying to keep the other one on their feet. We were almost to the backdoor when I heard a familiar voice call out from behind us.

"Edwaaaaaaaard. Where ya goin'?" slurred my ex. She was sandwiched between two beefy guys who looked like they were ready to tag team her into a wobbly H.

"Jane," I grimaced, knowing that when she was drunk she got horny, and I was afraid she might be in over her head with these two, yet really not wanting to get involved all the same. I didn't have a chance to further evaluate the situation before the little spitfire at my side decided to step in for me.

"Jane, looks like you could use some water. How 'bout you and I go grab a drink in the kitchen?" Bella's musical voice came from my side as she walked off, grabbing Jane's hand and pulling her away from the meathead twins who were now staring me down in disgust.

I really didn't feel like getting into a fight with two guys who could probably easily clean and jerk me. Ugh, my drunken brain was now making fun of my use of clean and jerk, before I realized the two guys had departed the scene, hopefully not looking for another hookup.

Standing with my back against the door, I waited to see if Bella was going to come back. I really wanted a smoke but after spending so much time with her, I didn't want to go without her. She was crawling under my skin like a bad rash, and I kinda didn't want it to go away. She was smart, witty, and unafraid to speak her mind. She was everything Jane wasn't; kind, compassionate, and watching her steer Jane away from a potentially dangerous situation only solidified her upstanding qualities in my booze addled brain.

"Hey…smoke?" Bella asked. My eyes opened with her voice, after I had allowed them to shut briefly in wait.

"It's like you're reading my mind." Opening the door, I allowed her to exit first. My eyes took a few moments to acclimate to the darkness, which had descended since we were out there last. We were both too drunk to notice the bite of cold in the air as we moved towards the abandoned picnic table, resuming the seats we held just hours ago.

I couldn't stop looking at her as she was illuminated by the streetlamp nearby. Her head appeared to be surrounded by a halo, making her look utterly breathtaking. I wished right about then I hadn't pounded that last cup in beer pong. I was afraid this was all a mirage and she'd disappear at morning's first light.

"Can I bum another one? My coat is still inside holding mine hostage." Her accompanying smile radiated out of her like a beacon in my fog of unhappiness.

"What happened with Jane?" I asked tentatively, pulling out the pack from my jeans pocket. I lit two cigarettes and handed her one.

"I got her some water then put her in a cab." She shrugged as if saving drunk women from themselves was an everyday occurrence.

"Thanks for doing that. It was above and beyond." Her face got serious, eyebrows knitted tightly on her forehead as if she was thinking way too hard for the inebriated state we were in.

"Actually I was her once and I don't want to see it happen to anyone ever again. So yeah, not over and above, but what was necessary at the time." Her biting remark sobered me enough to think that she too had a past; things her playful exterior hid to keep others from knowing about. She inhaled deeply, refusing to look back in my direction, and I didn't know what to say to bring back the jovial atmosphere that had disappeared so quickly.

"Hey… don't get all weird on me now, it happened a while ago. I just stepped in because she looked like she needed it, alright?" Her words came out in a jumble of slurred words and quick breaths while her hand gently settled on my knee, warming me straight through the denim.

"If you're sure."

"I am." The hand on my knee started massaging me while slowly moving up my thigh. It made me think dirty, dirty thoughts that I should not have been having, especially after the very brief conversation we had just had about her past.

"You're over thinking things, sulky. I'm not so drunk that you're gonna take advantage of me. In fact it might be the other way around." Her breath was suddenly on my neck, hot against my throat. She straddled me, before I could reply in kind, and her lips left a trail of molten lava from my jaw to my ear. My hands found her hips and roam adoringly over her firm ass, as our mouths finally meet in a battle of tongues and panting breaths.

"Mmm… you're an ass man, aren't you?" she hummed against my neck, as I continued kneading it roughly through her skin tight jeans.

"I actually love all womanly parts, although I do have an affinity for fine tits and asses." Her hands tugged on the back of my hair as her mouth continued its assault on the sensitive skin behind my ear.

"Well, I'm sorry to say you'll find mine lacking in that department." I immediately ventured up to grope her small but perky tits, reminding me that all good things didn't necessarily come in large packages, mine excluded of course.

"I'm a connoisseur. Big ones, little ones, any size at all…round ones, long ones, any kind at all."

"Dr. Seuss would be so proud." Her grin lit her face up as she gazed down at my own reflected back at her.

We were abruptly interrupted when the back light flicked on, both of us wincing at the fluorescent attack.

"Oh, uh… sorry, bro. Just wanted to see if you were still here. Sorry to interrupt," Emmett slurred, slamming the door behind him and drenching us back into the inky blackness of his yard.

"Buzz kill," she joked, burrowing down further into my chest, my arms encircling her tightly.

I chuckled at her fine assessment of the situation, but thought that perhaps it was better he interrupted our heated make out session than us going at it on his picnic table only to get slivers in our asses. Doing the only thing I could think of to remedy the situation I asked, "Wanna go to my place? I'm only a couple blocks away."

"You're quite presumptuous, Edward."

"You must be sobering up a bit to use such a big word." Pulling her off of my lap I reached for her hand. "Please?" I begged, kissing her gently on the lips awaiting her reply.

"Well, when you ask so nicely," she replied, tugging me back inside and through the party. All the while my mind was mulling over the fact that I was probably in way over my head. It had been barely a week since I ended a year long relationship, only to literally hop back in the sack with a charming and stunningly gorgeous woman. I didn't know what would happen past our hopefully debauchery filled night, but I was pretty sure I wanted more than a one night stand. If only she was willing.

Good lord, that ass is going to be the death of me.

We stopped in front of the coat closet, and I watched her pull out a battered leather jacket that looked so old yet well cared for that the leather was as soft as butter.

"Ready?" She turned towards the front door, pulling it open before I had a chance to do my chivalrous duty.

"As I'll ever be," I muttered, following her out into the brisk night air.

The stroll to my apartment passed quickly with us teasing each other about the night's amusing happenings, including Emmett's interruption and our total domination of the beer pong table. The conversation stilled as we stood in front of my apartment's door. Sexual tension was suddenly ramped up at our imminent arrival of the implied destination.

"So…"

"So…"

We both stood unmoving while gazing at each other nervously. Her cheeks were flushed from the cool walk and I was sure from the amount of alcohol we so generously consumed, but it was radiant against her fair skin. I was certain that in the summer she probably didn't tan even with the lowest amount of SPF, yet I found myself wanting to find out.

Pushing my key into the lock, I swung the door open, nudging her inside with a gentle push from my hand on her hip. Stumbling slightly, I caught her by the elbow and tugged her tightly to my chest, as the door slammed shut behind me.

"Hi," I whispered, kissing her forcefully and spinning her around so her back was up against my hallway. I couldn't help but grip her ass, hoisting it up higher on the wall so she was seated between my thighs, my cock rubbing against her hot center.

Thoughts of guilt and the possibility of ruining what could be a good thing flittered through my mind briefly, before they disappeared in a lust filled haze when Bella's hand tugged on my hair, forcing my head back to allow her access to my neck. Her tongue was like a blaze of fire and it was sending all the blood south of the border.

"Bed, Edward. As much as I'd love to have you fuck me against this wall, I think neither of us is up for that feat of balance tonight," she cooed into my ear before nibbling the lobe on her continued assault of my senses.

Not wasting a moment, I pulled away from the wall, her legs were wrapped tightly around my waist and I staggered the short distance to my room. Her panting in my ear was making my eyes roll back while thinking about how fucking hot she was going to be naked and screaming out my name in only a short while.

Gently laying her down on my bed, I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand, watching as her expression softened from lustful to lovable. Just as her eyes closed she nuzzled my fingers as they slid from her face.

At this point I knew I was done for. An absolute goner. There was no way this could be just a one night stand with the feelings coursing through my blood, even if most of it was residing in my dick. Feelings are feelings.

"Sulky, stop thinking and fuck me. My pussy is ruining my panties right now. Can you help a girl out?" She kneeled in front of me looking at me with her big innocent eyes that were anything but innocent from the sound of her dirty mouth.

"Come 'ere," I slurred, pushing her softly onto her back while my hands tried to remove her boots. Jeans were whipped off and thrown behind me in a flash of dark denim. God, she was absolutely breathtaking lying in my bed in her stupid St. Patrick themed shirt and hot pink and black panties, which were so small I could see her pussy lips hovering on the precipice, almost swallowing the crotch whole as if it were starving. Her coy smile hit me like a ton of bricks as I watched her finger the frayed edge of her shirt, flirting with its removal.

"Sulky?" My head snapped up at the sound of her voice and I realized I had been blatantly staring at her without doing a damn thing.

"Mmm… let's see if your slogan meets with my truth in advertising requirements." I ripped her panties down her lean legs in one swift motion, and dove head first into her heady scented heaven.

"My what?" she gasped, just as my tongue meets with her clit and they get along famously.

"Your shirt; Magically Delicious, Bella. I'm glad you're at least honest," I mumbled against her sopping center, not willing to tear my mouth away from her for a moment.

Her pert breasts were calling to me like a siren to the sea. One hand moved up to cup it under her shirt, while my mouth continued its ministrations on her clit. Bella's moans were driving my dick to its brink of rigidness, yet I was powerless to stop until I heard my name being called out from between her lips.

"Oh God," was her breathless response. Her hands tugged roughly on my hair, grinding herself into my already busy mouth. Pumping my fingers into her, I slicked them thoroughly before adding a third into the mix waiting for just the right moment to use the shocker. Knowing from my previous contact with her ass she'd probably be up for it.

I didn't have time to contemplate the matter any further as she comes undone, flooding my mouth with her distinctive flavor.

Giving her hip one final kiss, I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand and moved up beside her still panting form. Even with her arm thrown over her eyes, I could see the bright red color of her cheeks descended down to her chest in abstract blotches. I loved seeing the afterglow of my work. I nuzzled her neck to try and get her to come out of her orgasm coma.

"Mmmm… is it your turn already?" she teased, kissing me softly, not even remotely worried about the fact that I had her sweet juice all over my mouth.

"How about it's our turn?" I stressed, knowing that what I really wanted was to be balls deep inside her.

Sitting up from under me, she whipped off her shirt and pulled her arms back to undo her bra, when I stopped her busy hands.

"I wanna do that." With a flick of my wrist the black lacy fabric settled into the crook of her elbows and dangled in front of her luscious tits. If I could get away with motor-boating between them without looking like a douche, I would. Alas, that thought was quickly put to rest when she pushed me back onto the bed and straddled my chest. Hair dangling down almost covering her pert pink nipples, she leaned in and nibbled my neck, moving agonizingly slow on a trail to my promised land.

Her tongue, mouth, and hands were moving in sync hitting all the right spots before she finally licked the head of my painfully engorged cock. The feel of her warm breath wafted over it just as she engulfed it into her wet mouth. The feel, along with the sight of her lips around my dick took my breath away. I exhaled roughly at the pure pleasure of it all. It felt like she was humming a happy little tune, the vibrations against the tender skin felt deliciously good, but this was not where I wanted to be right now. I wanted to feel her hot pussy pulsing around me, when I made her come so hard she thought she saw Jesus.

I gently extricated myself from her mouth. The look on her face showed her confusion at my sudden movement.

"I want that beautiful pussy of yours right the fuck now!" Growling, I flipped her onto her knees, face pushed into my pillow as I reached around her creamy skinned ass to grab a condom out of my nightstand drawer. Wrapping my shit up quickly, I buried myself inside her in one swift move, our collective moans echoed throughout the room. Her mouth was so fucking dirty as she spouted how much she loved the feel of my dick penetrating her before she begged for the one thing I'd been waiting for.

"Yes! Harder… Fuck you're so deep… Oh, yessssssss… play with my ass… Fuuuuck…" Her broken words only motivated me into action. Increasing my tempo and gripping onto her hip, I moved the other hand to flick her clit only to find her own busy at work. Gathering some of her wetness, I gently caressed her rear entrance, just allowing the tip of my finger to enter. Her ass gripped it tightly and no sooner do I pump it in again that I feel her walls contracting against my dick. I started thinking about Emmett in that stupid ass hat to try and hold off a bit longer to no avail. My balls constricted, and I came like I'd been celibate for the last two years.

I wished I was a cuddler after sex, because if I was ever going to cuddle someone after fucking their brains out, it would be Bella, but I wasn't. Instead, I pulled out of her whispering that I'd be right back and walked to the bathroom to clean up. I contemplated grabbing a washcloth in case she felt a little dirty, but by the time I disposed of the condom, peed and washed my hands I'd forgotten all about my sense of chivalry and just headed back to the bedroom empty handed. When I entered the room she wasn't in bed. In fact all signs that she even existed remained in the trash can in my bathroom. Calling out, I got no reply. She'd disappeared into the night, and I felt humiliated, emasculated and the wound that Jane sliced so deep was once again wide open and bleeding profusely. As much as I knew I shouldn't feel used, I did.

Just as I was about to run out the door naked as the day my mother birthed me, I noticed a note on my pillow. Its only words were, "Thanks –Bella" That was it. No phone number, nada. I'd never been left by a chick like this, and I didn't really like how it made me feel. Of course I'd been on the reciprocal side multitudes of times but have never thought about how it felt until right now. Unfortunately, between the orgasm and the alcohol I had little left in the way of brain power, so instead I lay down and my drunken ass passed out without another thought.

In the light of day, my feelings were even more confusing. As much as I shouldn't have been bothered by the fact that my one night stand made it so easy for me to enjoy it for what it was, I could not. I was consumed by my need to see her again and experience her body over and over as often as possible.

It was well after noon when my phone rang beside my hung-over head that was currently watching a rerun of CSI.

"Em."

"What's up, baby bro? Did you tap that ass or what?"

It irked me to no end when he talked like this but I'd noticed the only way to bypass it was to ignore it.

"Yeah, I did, not that it's any of your business. Hey, is Rose there? Bella left before I could ask for her number. Does Rose have it by chance?" I asked slyly, not willing to admit to my older brother that she left without a word, making me feel like perhaps I wasn't as great in the sack as I'd always believed.

"She's actually out. Said one of her friends needed some help with something. I'll ask her when she gets back though. Wow, so you like this chick enough to ask for her number? No hump and dump? And less than two weeks after your last relationship ended in disaster? Wow! Never would have thought…"

"Emmett, are you eating right now? It sounds like you're talking with your mouth full of rocks."

"Mmmm… My hangover cure… Lucky Charms of course. I gotta go. Talk to you later."

Hours later, Rose finally got back to me and said she'd give Bella's number to me, but if Bella didn't return my call to leave her be. She didn't want me stalking her fucking ass or something. She mentioned something about there being complications, but wouldn't elaborate.

After sitting and mulling over my thoughts for a while, I dialed and left her a message, which I hoped she'd respond to.

"Hey, Bella, it's Edward. I got your number from Rose. Hope that's okay. I'm kinda relieved to know you're not a leprechaun made up of my drunken mind's imagination. If you're willing, I'd love to see you again. Please call me. Five one three, zero six two zero. Bye."

I waited and waited for her reply. I annoyed Rose so much that she'd banned the topic from discussion only telling me it was complicated and not so subtly reminding me of my promise to not stalk Bella. After a couple weeks of waiting, I finally came to the conclusion she was just not that into me and decided she was not worth the trouble even though my mind and dick couldn't seem to forget her.

My phone trilled in my pocket and I pulled it out without even looking at it, knowing it was either Emmett or my mom. Yes, my life had whittled itself down to Emmett and our mother. Sadly, I was already aware of it.

When I grunted my greeting into the phone I was shocked at who was actually on the other line.

"Sulky, I hear you've been looking for me."

The sound of her melodic voice made me smile immediately and I hummed appreciatively into the phone.

"Mmhmm… I have, Charm Girl. Where've you been and what took you so long?"

"I had some… complications to take care of. Sorry to have run out on you, but my conscience got the best of me. Have time for some coffee? We can, I don't know, talk?" Her chuckle lightened up my whole mood and I knew if someone were to see me right now, I'd look like a love struck fool.

"Sure, name the time and place and I'm there." At this point I'd meet her on the moon if she asked. I hoped this wasn't a test or some kind of game, because I'd spent too long as that kind of guy. Even though we'd only spent one night together, I wished we might be able to make something more permanent out of it.

Deciding on a small, hole in the wall coffee joint about five blocks away we agreed to meet in an hour. The fact that she sounded almost as eager to see me as I was her lessened the sting of her ignoring me for the last couple of weeks.

Rounding the corner in front of the café I saw her sitting at one of the outside tables, coffee in hand and reading the paper. She was wearing a faded hoodie and jeans with her hair up in a disheveled ponytail. If I wasn't so happy to see her I might feel slighted at the lack of effort on her part.

"Sulky, good to see you." Her smile was warm and inviting even if her eyes look anxious.

"Hey, LC. Good to see you, too." The hug lasted slightly longer than one would give a friend and I was glad she was willing to hold on for that extra beat.

"LC?"

"Lucky Charms, Bella… jeez, don't wear their slogan if you don't know the product. First rule in advertising."

"I don't think that's technically a rule, but I'll let it slide. Go grab something to drink," she suggested nodding her head towards the door.

When I returned to the table, she had her nose buried in the sports page, shocking me slightly that she read it at all. If someone asked me to describe Bella in one word, athletic wouldn't be it, but first impressions could be wrong, so I asked.

"Sports, eh?" My tone was slightly more condescending that I had intended.

"Mmhmm…why? Are you threatened by a woman who actually knows a thing or two about sports or just a chauvinist pig?" Ah, there she was. Spitfire was back, as if no time had passed at all.

Putting my hands up in defense, I conceded to my curiosity and hoped we'd get to know these little things about one another. Like she enjoyed reading the sports page.

"Sulky, you don't know shit about me, so if you're curious, ask. Although, I know plenty about you." Her coyness over this information puts me off and I decided to call her bluff.

"Really? Okay, LC. What do you know about me?"

"Let's see… Well, I'll start with the easy stuff. I know you smoke when you drink but don't consider yourself a smoker. You like to think you're the epitome of a player even though realistically you aren't one. By the brand of condoms you use, you believe yourself to be, ah… well endowed. You have an incredibly tight knit family who you see probably around once a week. You like your coffee black, find me reading about sports sexy, and if I do say so myself are one hell of a good fuck."

With her soliloquy completed she had a very satisfied look upon her face and I didn't even have a witty remark to make about it since it was all true. How she knew this, well aside from the fucking thing, was a mystery to me.

"True, I won't lie. But while I'm happy to hear you know so much about how I like my coffee, I'd like to know more about you. Like for instance, what was so complicated that you literally ran out of my apartment probably without all of your clothes on? Statistically speaking, you didn't have enough time to put your bra and panties on along with everything else." I was trying to keep my tone light and jovial even if I was serious about wanting to know why the fuck it took her more than two weeks to call me back.

"Right… about that…" Her face fell, eyes downcast and she studiously watched herself pick at her cuticles. I didn't want her to cry. I couldn't deal with crying girls, so I reached across the table and silenced her busy hands. The look I saw on her face when she looked up was that cross between the wounded puppy and the quivering lip. Either way, it was kinda pathetic, and I just wished she'd spill it already.

"Bella. Just tell me." I was doing my best to make my tone as soothing as possible even if I was the least soothing person I knew. Jeez, maybe my dad's compassion was finally rubbing off on my insolent ass.

"Um, okay. Just. Ah, just try not to be too upset with me after I tell you, okay?" Her stuttered words were weakening my resolve. Squeezing her hand, I let her know I'd try to keep an open mind.

"So, um… God, where do I start?"

"How about the beginning, that's usually a pretty good place," I teased, once again using humor to deflect what appeared to be a heavier conversation that I was anticipating.

What she proceeded to tell me was an hour long story of betrayal and heartbreak, of an ex-boyfriend's abuse of her good nature and naiveté. She'd actually just broken up with the asshole but had still been living with him until she found another place. Her complications were a shit ton of emotional baggage, that according to her had been dealt with satisfactorily enough to be open to the possibility of a future with me. What was really sad was that my story wasn't much different, and I told her the same. What a fine pair we made.

Our quick cup of coffee turned into dinner, which turned into her coming back to my place, where I showed her my utmost appreciation for finally returning my call. I'd like to say we took it slow and got to know each other better before fucking ourselves silly, repeatedly, but I couldn't lie. We screwed on just about every available surface in my place and hers over the course of those first couple of weeks. And I must say that when it came to catch phrases, she was right on the mark with hers. She really was magically delicious in every single way.

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Thanks so much for reading. Please leave me some love if you liked it._

_I also entered the **Pop the Question O/S contest** –http: /www. fanfiction. net/u/3680273/ Pop_the_Question__ (remove spaces) Voting opens next week. Go check out the entries & vote if you have the chance._

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